Up until the 1920s, we believed the Milky Way Galaxy marked the boundary of our universe. Then Edwin Hubble discovered that Andromeda was not a star, but an entirely separate galaxy. Suddenly, the glass ceiling of our cosmic knowledge was shattered.
Our universe expanded dramatically – from a single galaxy to trillions. Fast forward to today, we think all of them possibly nestle within a gigantic black hole! This Black Hole Cosmology represents our current knowledge horizon: the farthest edge of what we accept as true. And this horizon will keep expanding.
Perhaps one day, our progeny will confirm the Black Hole Cosmology theory, and we might get to know what is inside a black hole. We may be living inside one!
Where Copernicus taught us humility by proving we aren’t the center of the universe, Hubble invited compassion by revealing that despite the existence of trillions of galaxies, the billions of humans on Earth might, after all, be uniquely alone.
“Horizons, like intelligence, are paradoxical. Both are mirages that continuously stretch as we approach.”
You might be among the smartest people in the room, but if your understanding remains tied to outdated frameworks, as mine once was, with the classical view of emotions (that fear, anger, or joy are biologically hardwired) – then your intelligence is bound by that knowledge ceiling.
When I encountered Lisa Feldman Barrett’s Theory of Constructed Emotion, it felt like crossing an intellectual bridge. Emotions weren’t fixed, innate reflexes; they were predictions, mental constructions. This revelation didn’t make me instantly smarter; instead, it pushed my horizon further outward, revealing how limited my earlier understanding had been.
This is why I find the concept of epistemological humility so essential. It reminds us that what we know today is not the final word, it’s just the latest edition. And framing it this way is not discouraging at all, it’s empowering.
Because if intelligence is tethered to a knowledge ceiling, then anyone can reach it. Not without effort… But with deliberate inquiry and a willingness to revise, we can catch up fast.
So here’s a comforting thought:
You’re not falling behind; you’re just approaching your own edge of understanding. And that horizon? It’s perpetually ahead, patiently waiting for you to bravely explore further.
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“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.” – Socrates
The knowledge horizon may represent intelligence, insight, or even just a willingness to align with reality. But it always begins the same way: by asking, “What if I’m wrong?”
And who better to guide us through this courageous questioning than Socrates himself?
“Socratic Unlearning” is the latest skill I’ve designed in the Mindful Productivity framework. It helps identify deep-rooted assumptions and encourages us to look beyond them – a meaningful process of unbecoming through unlearning.
Currently, it’s in beta testing – and I’m eager to learn from those willing to test their own horizons.
Nikhil Kabadi 